Constitution of MATHWEST including By-Laws

ARTICLE I. NAME
The name of the organization shall be The Association of Teachers of Mathematics in Western Massachusetts, aka (MATHWEST).

ARTICLE II. PURPOSES
The purposes of MATHWEST shall be to:

Promote interest in mathematics and to encourage effective teaching by providing opportunities for the interchange of ideas among members and by providing information as to current mathematical and pedagogical issues.

Promote an on-going relationship between teachers of mathematics on elementary, middle, secondary, and post-secondary levels.

Provide information as to courses of study and other relevant activities and resources that may be of interest to its membership.

ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
All persons who teach mathematics or who are interested in mathematics are eligible for membership.

ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS
The Officers of MATHWEST shall be President, President Elect or Immediate Past President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

ARTICLE V. EXECUTIVE BOARD
The Executive Board shall be composed of elected members, ex officio members, and conference chair. Elected members shall include the four officers and five at-large members elected from the general membership. Ex officio members shall include all Past Presidents who wish to remain active when their terms of office have expired, and representatives of other groups with which MATHWEST may affiliate and who agree to serve. The conference chair and ex officio members shall be appointed on an annual basis by the elected members of the Board and serve at the discretion of the Board. The elected, active ex officio Board members, and the conference chair shall have the same voting privileges.

ARTICLE VI. DISSOLUTION
Not withstanding any provisions of these articles, the Association is organized exclusively for one or more of the purposes as specified in 501[c][3] of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, and shall not carry on any activities not permitted to be carried on by an association exempt from Federal Income Tax under IRC501[c] or corresponding provisions of any subsequent Federal Tax Laws.
No part of the net earnings of the association shall inure to the benefit of any member, trustee, director, officer of the association, or any private individual (except that reasonable compensation may be paid for services rendered to or for the association), and no member, trustee, officer of the association, or any private individual shall be entitled to share in the distribution of any of the assets on dissolution of the association.
No substantial part of the activities of the association shall be carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation (except where otherwise provided by IRC 501[c][3] or participating in, or intervening in (including the publication or distribution of statements), any political campaign on any candidate for public office.
In any taxable year in which the association is a private foundation as described in IRC 501[a], the association shall distribute its income for said period at such time and manner as not to subject itself to tax under IRC 4942 and the association shall not (a) engage in any act of self-dealing as defined in IRC 4943[c], (b) make investments in such a manner as to subject the association to tax under IRC 4944 or (c) make any taxable expenditures as defined as defined in IRC 4945[d] or corresponding provisions of any subsequent tax laws.
In the event of dissolution, all of the remaining assets and property of the association shall, after necessary expenses thereof, be distributed to another organization under IRC 501[c][3], or corresponding provisions of any subsequent Federal tax laws, or to the Federal government, or state or local government for a public purpose, subject to the approval of a Justice of the Supreme Court of Massachusetts. This organization shall be selected in the final Executive Board meeting of MATHWEST, which has similar purposes.

ARTICLE VII. FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year of MATHWEST shall be from January 1st through December 31st.

By-Laws

ARTICLE 1. DUTIES OF OFFICERS AND EXCUTIVE BOARDPRESIDENT:
To provide for the meetings of the Executive Board at least twice each year and on such occasions as may be desirable; to preside at all meetings of the Executive Board, to serve as ex officio member of all committees; to assume responsibility for the planning of meetings and the securing of speakers with the advice and assistance of the Executive Board; to appoint committees and representatives subject to the advice and consent of the Executive Board; to function as Treasurer in the event that the Treasurer is unable to fulfill his/her duties; to assume all other duties customarily devolving upon a president except as otherwise provided in the Constitution and By-Laws or by resolution of the Executive Board.PRESIDENT ELECT or IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT:
To assist the President in the performance of his/her duties; to preside at all meetings of the Executive Board in the absence of the PresidentSECRETARY:
To record and maintain records of all minutes of meetings of MATHWEST and the Executive Board; to provide copies of those minutes for members of the Executive Board; to notify members of the Executive Board as to the time and place of all its meetings; to carry on all correspondence as requested by the President and/or the Executive Board.TREASURER:
To receive all money paid MATHWEST and to make all disbursements subject to the approval of the Executive Board; to keep accurate and timely records; to prepare and present a report at the first MATHWEST meeting each fall summarizing the receipts and payments of MATWEST for the previous fiscal year and to file the report with the minutes; to prepare interim reports for each meeting of the Executive Board and at other times as may be appropriate.AT LARGE MEMBERS:
The NCTM Representative, the Membership Chair, and the Government Relations Chair shall be chosen from the Members at Large. The Newsletter Editor shall be appointed each year by Board and will serve as its sixth member.MEMBERSHIP CHAIR:
To maintain the MATHWEST mailing list; to prepare and maintain an accurate and up to-to-date membership list; to be responsible for the annual enrollment; to assume responsibility for registration at all meetings.CONFERENCE CHAIR:
To organize a conference at the request of the Executive Board and organize a support commitee as needed. This position is subject to the plans of the Executive Board, and the position will only exist if a full-day or longer conference is desired. STIPENDS (ANNUAL):
The following stipends will be paid to the officers following their year of service to the Association. The President shall receive $200. The Immediate Past President/President-Elect and the Treasurer shall receive $100. The Secretary shall receive $50.
Due to the importance of their roles to the Association, the Membership Chair will receive $50 annually, and the Conference Chair will receive a stipend in an amount determined by the Executive Board. The monies for the stipend for the Conference Chair will be bugeted and incorporated into the registration fees for that particular conference. All conference sub-committee chairs will receive free registration upon appointment and approval of the Executive Board.
In addition, each member of the Executive Board, including the officers, membership chair, and conference chair, will receive one free year of membership for each year of active service in the association. This provision dies not include ex-officio board members.

ARTICLE II TERMS OF OFFICE AND ELECTION
Each officer shall serve a two-year term, which shall begin on the January 1st following his/her election and end on December 31st following the election of a successor. Election of the President shall occur biennially. Each person elected to this office will serve a total of four years: the first as President Elect; then two years as President; and one year as Immediate Past President. Members of the Executive Board will serve two-year terms, two of which will expire in years congruent to one modulo and three of which will expire in years congruent to 0 modulo 2. Membership shall be limited to no more than two successive terms in a single position. After leaving the board for at least one year, a person will be eligible to stand for re-election.
Each member of the regular Board shall chair a specific committee. Ex-officio members include all past presidents and certain persons invited by the Board. Continued membership on the Board by ex-officio members will be reviewed on an annual basis and continued membership will depend on attendance at Board meetings.
Elections shall be held at the December meeting of MATHWEST. A nominations committee, which shall call for further nominations from the floor, shall present a slate of nominees and nominees shall be elected by a majority vote of the members present.
In case of a vacancy in any elected office, the president shall appoint a MATHWEST member to fill the unexpired term subject to the approval of the Executive Board.

ARTICLE III.

Any person dedicated to the purposes of MATHWEST is eligible for membership and shall become a MATHWEST member upon payment of the membership dues.

Annual dues of MATHWEST shall be of such an amount as may be approved by the Executive Board and by the general membership. Annual dues will be for one calendar year beginning on the date of enrollment and ending at the end of the month the following year.

ARTICLE IV. QUORUM
At any general meeting of MATHWEST, a quorum shall consist of those members present. At any Executive Board meeting, a quorum shall consist of five members of the Executive Board, at least two of whom must be officers and one of which must be either the president, the president elect, immediate past president.

ARTICLE V. MEETINGS
MATHWEST will hold as many yearly meetings as may be deemed appropriate by the Executive Board. All general meetings of MATHWEST will be held subsequent to appropriate written notice to the general membership. One of these meetings will be designated as an Election Meeting and one will be designated as the Constitution Meeting. Notice of all general MATHWEST meetings shall be distributed via the newsletter.

ARTICLE VI. AFFILIATION
MATHWEST shall seek and maintain affiliation with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Academic Alliances and other organizations subsequent to the approval of the Executive Board and the general membership.

ARTICLE VII. AMENDENTS
These by-laws may be amended upon recommendation of the Executive Board and a favorable vote of those present at the MATHWEST Constitution meeting.

ARTICLE VIII. RULES
Robert’s Rules of Order will be the authority for conducting the business of MATHWEST unless they conflict with the Constitution or By-Laws.